Riyadh Parking project; more than 60 solar-powered parking payment machines installed, 180 guidance panels in two weeks

Within two weeks of initiating the trial-run phase of the Riyadh Parking project, the Riyadh Region Mayoralty has erected over 180 guidance panels and over 60 solar-powered parking payment machines. 

The plan includes over 17,000 unpaid parking spots in residential neighbourhoods next to paid public parking areas, as well as over 2,000 public parking spaces on business routes. Next month is the planned formal debut date, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The mobile application for the Riyadh Parking project, which is accessible on iOS and Android operating systems and offers a variety of digital payment options, registered over 7,000 users during its trial period, while the initiative's website had over 500,000 visitors.

The initiative intends to enhance Riyadh's quality of life by arranging public parking spaces and creating clever, creative ways to lessen erroneous and haphazard parking. It facilitates finding parking spots for both locals and guests. By lowering the number of cars that park in residential neighbourhoods rather than on pay lots, parking areas there are intended to safeguard the neighborhood's residents. 

To protect residents' rights to unpaid parking places, the Riyadh Parking application makes a distinction between cars owned by locals and those owned by others. It also grants residential licenses for local automobiles. Parking lots are not subject to fines during the trial operating phase, according to the Riyadh Mayoralty. Following its formal introduction in October, the hourly parking tax scheme will be applied to paid public parking spaces on business streets.

Multiple safe payment alternatives, including digital means, will be offered by the Riyadh Parking app in order to enhance user experience and streamline financial operations. There will also be more payment options accessible, such cash payment devices and online payments. 

A new feature of the project allows car owners to wait up to 15 minutes before activating the parking duration account. This allows for special parking conditions and private situations when homeowners and guests might need to go right away after parking. 

Twelve neighborhoods—Al-Wurood, Al-Rahmaniyah, Gharb AlUlya, Al-Morouj, King Fahd, and Al-Sulaymaniyah—as well as four other southern Riyadh neighbourhoods are included in the first phase.